Fellow Funko collector’s can browse a checklist of every Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts figure launched to date, as well as browse images, discuss the figures, and find retailers selling them. There’s also an FAQ where Funko enthusiasts (both new and old) can learn about the various figures, some of the rarer variations, and what figures will be released next.

It is with great sadness today that I share the news that Toni Gras — a long-time friend and contributor to Harry Potter Fan Zone — has passed away.

I first met Toni at the Goblet of Fire premiere in New York City in 2005. Over the last decade, Toni was a regular contributor to the site, representing HPFZ at Harry Potter related events and conferences around the world. Her contributions weren’t limited to the content she wrote, equally touching was her unbridled enthusiasm, support and kindness.

If there’s one thing the Harry Potter journey has fostered, it’s a global sense of community. Toni was the embodiment of that community spirit. So to Toni’s family, my sincerest condolences. And to Toni, thanks for the part you played in making HPFZ what it was, is, and will be to future ‘Potter’ generations.

In the words of Albus Dumbledore, “death is but the next great adventure”.

Between 2001 and 2011, four composers brought us nearly ten hours of music to underscore the Harry Potter films. There’s melody for characters, for action, for loss and for love, and we’re going to attempt to whittle that list down to the most memorable top five.

For variety (and because it’d be a foregone conclusion otherwise) we’re omitting John Williams’ signature composition, Hedwig’s Theme, from the list.

Aside: if what we’ve heard of the Fantastic Beasts soundtrack is anything to go by, that theme is going to transcend ‘Potter’ and become the musical signature of J.K. Rowling’s entire wizarding world.

You can also click any of the track titles to hear the piece, or to download sheet music. Let’s begin!

This haunting melody is Alexandre Desplat’s signature theme used throughout Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. We hear a soft choral version of the theme as the film opens, and probably the best rendition during Dragon Flight. The melody swells and takes full orchestral flight as the captive Gringotts dragon too breaks free of its restraints and flies to freedom with Harry, Ron and Hermione as passengers.

It goes without saying, but the illustrated editions really are a work of art: J.K. Rowling’s beautifully typeset words are complemented with glorious chapter illustrations, full-page murals, character portraits, and sketches by Jim Kay.

Says Kay, “the techniques for illustrating Chamber of Secrets were slightly different to book one … I wanted it to have a slightly different feel, a different look”. In particular, the chapter opens are a little different, stylistically, to book one.

The Chamber of Secrets chapter opens feature depictions of everything from objects (Cornelius Fudge’s bowler hat, the cursed hand from Borgin and Burkes, a certain sock, and the Whomping Willow to name a few), as well as scenes like the entrance to the Forbidden Forest and the Chamber of Secrets:

Cornelius Fudge’s bowler hat

At Flourish and Blotts

The Writing on the Wall

The Whomping Willow

Dobby’s Reward

Aragog

Many of the chapters, particularly those that are thematically darker, are contrasted with black backgrounds, white text, and artwork that bleeds seamlessly into the chapter. It makes for a really immersive reading experience:

Harry arrives at Knockturn Alley: the black background, white text, and full page artwork make this a spooky passage to read.

Harry Potter Fan Zone recently had the chance to participate in a group interview with Jim Kay, the artist behind the gorgeous Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stoneillustrated edition, released today.

Jim is currently at work illustrating Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, but took some time out to talk about bringing J.K. Rowling’s words to life.

Jim Kay is the artist behind the Harry Potter illustrated editions

Always J.K. Rowling (AJKR): Were you influenced by previous Harry Potter illustrators/the films or did you veer away from both?

I’m a huge fan of both the books and the films. I thought the screen adaptations were a wonderful showcase of the best set design, product design, costume, casting, directing and acting their disciplines had to offer. I knew from the start that I’m competing to some degree with the hundreds of people involved in the visuals of the film. I remember watching the extras that come with the movie DVDs a few years back, and wondering how on earth you’d get to be lucky enough to work on the visuals for such a great project. To be offered the opportunity to design the whole world again from scratch was fantastic, but very daunting. I’d like to think that over the years lots of illustrators will have a crack at Potter, in the same way that Alice in Wonderland has seen generations of artists offer their own take on Lewis Carroll’s novel. I had to make it my version though, and so from the start I needed to set it apart from the films. I’ll be honest I’ve only seen a few illustrations from other Potter books, so that’s not been so much of a problem. I love Jonny Duddle’s covers, and everyone should see Andrew Davidson’s engravings — they are incredible!

Magical Menagerie (MM): What was the most important detail for you to get right with your illustrations?

To try and stay faithful to the book. It’s very easy when you are scribbling away to start wandering off in different directions, so you must remind yourself to keep reading Jo’s text. Technically speaking though, I think composition is important — the way the movement and characters arrange themselves on the page — this dictates the feel of the book.

SnitchSeeker (SS): What medium do you use to create your illustrations?

I use anything that makes a mark — I am not fussy. So I don’t rely on expensive watercolour or paints, although I do occasionally use them – I like to mix them up with cheap house paint, or wax crayons. Sometimes in a local DIY store I’ll see those small tester pots of wall paint going cheap in a clear-out sale, and I’ll buy stacks of them, and experiment with painting in layers and sanding the paint back to get nice textures. The line is almost always pencil, 4B or darker, but the colour can be a mixture of any old paint, watercolour, acrylic, and oil. Diagon Alley was unusual in that I digitally coloured the whole illustration in order to preserve the pencil line drawing. I’d recommend experimenting; there is no right or wrong way to make an illustration, just do what works for you!

The Daily Snitcher (TDS): Because each book is so rich in detail, what is your personal process when choosing specific images?

“You start off with lots of little ideas, and draw a tiny thumbnail illustration, about the size of a postage stamp, to remind you of the idea for an illustration you had while reading the book.”

I read the book, then read it again and again, making notes. You start off with lots of little ideas, and draw a tiny thumbnail illustration, about the size of a postage stamp, to remind you of the idea for an illustration you had while reading the book. I then start to draw them a little bigger, about postcard size, and show them to Bloomsbury [UK publisher]. We then think about how many illustrations will appear in each chapter, and try to get the balance of the book right by moving pictures around, dropping or adding these rough drawings as we go. With Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Bloomsbury were great in that they let me try all sorts of things out, different styles, concepts. Some I didn’t think would get into the final book, but everyone was very open to new ideas. There was no definite plan with regards to how the book would look; we just experimented and let it evolve.

On 22 December 2003, ten years ago to the day, Harry Potter Fan Zone came online. It looked a little something (actually, a lot something) like this.

I was – at the time – a bored fourteen year–old looking for something to do over the Australian summer holiday break. And here we are today: two books, six movies, and a decade of digging up Harry Potter news and rumours later.

Of course, my highlight of this whole little adventure was hearing that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was a fan of the website and reading the lovely thank–you she gave us on her official website.

So thank you to everyone who’s contributed to this website over the past ten years and, of course, to everyone who’s given it a visit. I hope you’ve had as much fun following Harry Potter Fan Zone (yes, I do wish I’d come up with a better name all those years ago) as I’ve had running it.